Japan first country to qualify for 2026 World Cup after victory over Bahrain

Tokyo, (JP):- Japan has officially become the first country to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after it beat Bahrain 2-0 at Saitama Stadium on Thursday.

Two second-half goals by Real Sociedad star Takefusa Kubo and Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada in the Asian World Cup qualifiers proved enough to see the Samurai Blue earn its spot at next year’s tournament which is being hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The match featured outstanding performances from Liverpool star Wataru Endo whose early goal was disallowed by a VAR decision and Southampton defender Yukinari Sugawara.

With this groundbreaking win at Saitama Stadium, Japan secured the top spot in Group C, earning automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Moreover, Japan made history as the first non-host nation to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after hosts USA suffered a 2-0 defeat to Panama in a qualification game, while co-hosts Canada and Mexico are still battling to secure the top two spots in their respective groups.

Japan has been on an impressive run in recent years. In the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Japan topped Group E ahead of soccer giants like Spain and Germany, achieving this feat by defeating both teams with identical 2-1 victories.

The Japanese team has been widely praised for its playing style, characterized by unexpected counterattacks and strong team cohesion, which has helped them secure surprising wins even against favoured opponents.

Following this milestone, Japan’s coach Hajime Moriyasu set an ambitious goal of winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating that with their current form, Japan is on the right track.

Other Asian nations expected to secure early qualification include South Korea, Australia, and Saudi Arabia.